ISLAMABAD: The Sup­reme Court got its second woman judge on Friday when Justice Mussarat Hilali took the oath of office.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial administered the oath to Justice Hilali at a ceremony held at the Supreme Court’s auditorium.

With her elevation, the Supreme Court’s strength has increased to 16, including two women judges. There is still a seat lying vacant.

Last year in January, Justice Ayesha Malik became the first female judge of a high court elevated to the apex court.

On July 5, President Dr Arif Alvi approved the appointment of Justice Hilali to the apex court after the Parliamentary Committee on Judges’ Appointments ratified the recommendations of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP). The commission recommended her elevation to the apex court on Jan 14. Justice Hilali’s name was recommended by senior pu­i­sne judge and CJP-designate Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

In May, Justice Isa wrote to all members of the body proposing the elevation of Justice Hilali, then chief justice of the Peshawar High Court, and Justice Ahmed Ali Sheikh, chief justice of the Sindh High Court, to the apex court.

Justice Hilali was sworn in as the first woman chief justice of the PHC on April 1, after Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan retired.

She was born in Peshawar on Aug 8, 1961. She received her law degree from Khyber Law College, University of Peshawar, and was enrolled as an advocate of district courts in 1983. She was listed as an advocate of the high court in 1988 and that of the Supreme Court in 2006.

Justice Hilali was an active member of the PHC Bar Association and served as its first female secretary, vice president and general secretary. She was also twice elected as an executive member of the Supreme Court Bar Association for 2007-8 and 2008-9.

Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2023